[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 73 (Thursday, May 24, 2001)]
[Senate]
[Pages S5630-S5631]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. GREGG (for himself, Mr. Kennedy, Mr. DeWine, and Mr. 
        Bayh):
  S. 952. A bill to provide collective bargaining rights for public 
safety officers employed by States or their political subdivisions; to 
the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
  Mr. GREGG. Mr. President, today, I am pleased to be joined by 
Senators Kennedy, DeWine, and Bayh in introducing the Public Safety 
Employer-Employee Cooperation Act of 2001. This legislation would 
extend to firefighters and police officers the right to discuss 
workplace issues with their employers.
  With the enactment of the Congressional Accountability Act, State and 
local government employees remain the only sizable segment of workers 
left in America who do not have the basic right to enter into 
collective bargaining agreements with their employers. While most 
States do provide some collective bargaining rights for their public 
employees, others do not.
  The lack of collective bargaining rights is especially troublesome in 
the public safety arena. Firefighters and police officers take 
seriously their oath to protect the public safety, and as a result, 
they do not engage in work stoppages or slowdowns. The absence of 
collective bargaining denies these workers any opportunity to influence 
the decisions that affect their lives or livelihoods.
  Studies have shown that communities which promote such cooperation 
enjoy much more effective and efficient delivery of emergency services. 
Such cooperation, however, is not possible in the 18 States that do not 
provide public safety employees with the fundamental right to bargain 
with their employers.
  The legislation I am introducing today recognizes the unique 
situation and obligation of public safety officers. First, we create a 
special collective bargaining right outside the scope of other Federal 
labor law and specifically prohibit the use of strikes, work stoppages 
or other actions that could disrupt the delivery of services. Second, 
this legislation utilizes the procedures and expertise of the Federal 
Labor Relations Authority to help resolve disputes between public 
safety employers and employees. This bill simply requires that each 
State provide minimum collective bargaining rights to their public 
safety employees in whatever manner they choose. It outlines certain 
provisions that must be included in state laws, but leaves the major 
decisions to the state legislatures. States that already have the 
minimum collective bargaining protections as outlined in this 
legislation would be exempt from the Federal statute. And third, the 
bill specifically prohibits strikes, lockouts, sickouts, work slowdowns 
or any other job action which will disrupt the delivery of emergency 
services.
  Labor-management partnerships, which are built upon bargaining 
relationships, result in improved public safety. Employer-employee 
cooperation contains the promise of saving the taxpayer money by 
enabling workers to give input as to the most efficient way to provide 
services. In fact, States that currently give firefighters the right to 
discuss workplace issues actually have lower fire department budgets 
than states without those laws.
  The Public Safety Employer-Employee Cooperation act of 2001 will put 
firefighters and law enforcement officers on equal footing with other 
employees and provide them with the fundamental right to negotiate with 
employers over such basic issues as hours, wages, and workplace 
conditions.
  I urge its adoption and ask unanimous consent that the text of this 
bill be printed in the Record.
  There being no objection, the bill was ordered to be printed in the 
Record, as follows:

                                 S. 952

  [Data not available at time of printing.]
  Mr. KENNEDY. Mr. President, I am honored today to join my colleagues, 
Senators Gregg, DeWine, and Bayh, to introduce the ``Public Safety 
Employer-Employee Cooperation Act of 2001.''
  For more than 60 years, collective bargaining has enabled labor and 
management to work together to improve job conditions and increase 
productivity. Through collective bargaining, labor and management have 
led the way on many important improvements in today's workplace--
especially with regard to health and pension benefits, paid holidays 
and sick leave, and workplace safety.

[[Page S5631]]

  Collective bargaining in the public sector, once a controversial 
issue, is now widely accepted. It has been common since at least 1962, 
when President Kennedy signed an Executive Order granting these basic 
rights to federal employees. Congressional employees have had these 
rights since enactment of the Congressional Accountability Act almost a 
decade ago. It is long since time to give state and local government 
employees federal protection for the basic right to enter into 
collective bargaining agreements with their employers.
  The act we are introducing today extends this protection to 
firefighters, police officers, paramedics and emergency medical 
technicians. The bill guarantees the fundamental rights necessary for 
collective bargaining--the right to form and join a union; the right to 
bargain over hours, wages and working conditions; the right to sign 
legally enforceable contracts; and the right to a resolution mechanism 
in the event of an impasse in negotiations. The bill also accomplishes 
its goals in a reasonable and moderate way.
  The benefits of this bill are clear and compelling. It will lead to 
safer working conditions for public safety officers. These valued 
public employees serve in some of the country's most dangerous, 
strenuous and stressful jobs. Every year, more than 80,000 police 
officers and 75,000 firefighters are injured on the job. An average of 
160 police officers and nearly 100 firefighters die in the line of duty 
each year. Because these men and women serve on the front lines in 
providing firefighting services, law enforcement services, and 
emergency medical services, they know what it takes to create safer 
working conditions. They deserve the benefit of collective bargaining 
to give them a voice in decisions that can literally make a life-and-
death difference on the job.
  Our bill will also save money for states and local communities. 
Experience has shown that when public safety officers can discuss 
workplace conditions with management, partnerships and cooperation 
develop and lead to improved labor-management relations and better, 
more cost-effective services. A study by the International Association 
of Fire Fighters shows that states and municipalities that give 
firefighters the right to discuss workplace issues have lower fire 
department budgets than states without such laws. When workers who 
actually do the job are able to provide advice on their work 
conditions, there are fewer injuries, better morale, better information 
on new technologies, and more efficient ways to provide the services.
  It is a matter of basic fairness to give these courageous men and 
women the same rights that have long been enjoyed by other workers. 
They put their lives on the line to protect us every day. They deserve 
to have an effective voice on the job, and improvements in their work 
conditions will benefit their entire community.
  I urge my colleagues to support this important measure.
                                 ______